Mechanical restaurant-service.



l; HUTEHINSON. mEcHANicAL RESTAURANT sEnvwE. APPHCATION FlLED MAY 3,1913.

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Ptnwl F6513, 1917.

`)I HUTCHINSON.v MECHANICAL RESTAURANT SERVICE.

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1 HuTcHlNsoN. MECHANICAL RESTAURANT SERVICE.

APPLlcnmn man mw a. ma. v 1,215,536. Patented Feb. 13,1917. A nuns-SHEET4.

ar afro/Pm FY JOSEPH HUTCHINSQN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MECHANICAL b ZZ `ii/0m it may concern.' Be it known that I, JosfirirHUTC'i-IINSON, of New. York city. New York, United States of America,and temporarily residing at Montreal, QuebecQCanada, have invented a newand useful Mechanical Restatirant-Serv` ice; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a, full, clear, and 4exact description of -theThis invention comprises a mechanism for conveying trays or the likefrom the kitchen of a restaurant to the tables in the dining rooin ofthe latter and for returning the trays to the kitchen, the primaryobject of the invention being to provide a mechanical service which willperform the function of human attendance at the tables of arestaiirant.l

Further objects are, first". to provide a conveyer for the trays, suchconveyer being n0rmally stationary and adaptedto be operated to carrythe trays to the tables; second, to indicate the position of the traysas they are being carriedby the conveyer and to determine the arrival ofthe'trays opposite to the tables; third, to move the trays from theconveyer to the tables and backtoV the conveyemand fourth, to4 returnthe trays from, the tables.

Further objects and features will be clescribed in the followingdescription and particularly pointed out by the appended For fullcomprehension."however, of my invention i'efeielnce must be had toatlicacf companying drawings forming 'part of this specification, 1n whichsimilar refer-V ence characters indicate the sainepai'ts and iv-herein:V 4 Figure 1 is aside elevation, partly broken away. of my mechanicaldevice:

Fig. 2 is aplan vievv of the saine witli the Vtopof the housing removed:

lof Figs. ll and 9.,. respectively, and

Fi is a detailof the gearing between the eed and 4return conveyer;V

Figi. V`(i is a perspectiveyieiv of the means fijoyliiig' the tray' toand from the tables Fia. 'i' is an enlarged vertical section onliiieT--TFigH and showing in detail `the niechanisinj illustrated inFig. 6;.

Fig. 8 is 'a perspective view of the transi specincation'of LettersPatent.

RESTAURANT-SERVICE.

Paten fed'Feb. 1,3; 19.17'.`

Appiicaiion aiei my s, isi-1s. serial No. 765,387.

ferring mechanism beti reen the feed and re turn conveyers; and I Fig. 9is an enlargel vertical section on line 9-9 Fig. 1 and looking in thedirec* tion of the arrow.

Briefly, my invention consists of a Adelivery conveyer extending fromthe kitchen to the dining room for ctrry ng the trays to the tables inthe latterv ai; arrangementfor moving the traysfiom he delivery conveyerto the tables and back 1o the conveyer; areturn convcyer located beneaththe delivery conveyerfor cariying'qilietrays back 'the' kitchen; adevice at thi end, of the df Very conveyei for lowering the traystherefrom' to the return conveyer a drive wheel operatively connected toald synchronously -operating the conveyers :ind loweringd'evice; and' anindicator for c etermining the position of the trays as tl'. ey arebeing carried by the delivery convey er and arresting the movement of'the -driie vv'vheel at different points inits rotation which correspondto predetermined points inthe travel of the delivery ,qinyeyeit A Iwill'now describe one V`foi'mof my invention and it4 its to leunderstood thatitmay b e constructed in any preferred man ner withregard to odet iils and arrangement of parts.

The mechanism .illustrated yin the amfings comprises anend lessconveyerextendi ing 'from the kitchen A (or room adjacent thereto)through the wall c thereof 'tothe diningroom BQ4 A sei ies of suitablyspaced tables are arran' 'ed at each side of the convveyer and the engthof Vthe latter is `de pendent uponv the n1 imber'o tables Veinployed.

The conveyf., chiii'twiii term ale-ide'- i livery 'conveyer, is le velt'with the tops f the tablesand consiste of a air of cables e sov passedaround drums f rotatlvelysupported y standards 'g,`tlie cables Acarryingtransversely disposed slats 7 which enga e with the `teeth hof' sprocket wheels h the ends of the drums f and by -meansof xed at ywhiclrengagement the conveyer is moved when the drums are Yri itated. AreturnI con veyer is situated a sui :able distance beneath and extendedbeyond the e'nds oi the ,delir- ,i-os i ery conveyer'andA is4 ofvsimilar -to the latter, being mounted lupon supported by thestarlda'rds fg. Railsi/n "wel vv 'arrow'sFig '3) by means of 'turnconveyor.

sup

conveyers bybrackets k', thefrails terminating just short of the drumsof the conveyei-s and being adapted to sustain the weight of" the trayscarried by the latter.

The conveyers travel in opposite directions (see arrows Figs. 1 and 3)4and I prefer to operate them by m eans of a wheel l, 'theshaft'lf ofwhich is rotatively sup ported by standards 'm and m llocated at thekitchen end'of the conveyers, the Wheel being preferably rotated by handalthough a motor or the like may'be employed for 'this purpose. Theperiphery of the Wheel Z is of sufficient Width to accommodate handpiecesl n and teeth o, the latter having a drive chain p passedthereoverwhich connects the wheel to a sprocket wheel g upon the shaft f 'of oneAof the drums of the 're- The return conveyer. is,

moved in one direction by means ofA the chain connection therebetweenand' the wheel and movementisimparted to the de liveryjconveyer in anopposite-direction (see -a sprocket wheel r'upon the shaft f,a sprocketwheel s upona suitably supported short shaft t and 5a pairgoiintermeshing gears t upon the short shaftt and the shaft. f2 of thedelivry conveyor, respectively, (see Fig. 5).

A tray Vis placed -veyer and the operating' wheelrotated by means of thehand piecesml to move'the conveyerI and 'carry the tray4v into thevdinin'g room.' In order to determine when the tray has reached aposition opposite the table for Whichit is intendedv Ihave employed anoperating wheel' the circumference of which is sufficiently greater thanthat of the drums f to enable a single revolutionof the wheel tomove-the conveyer the full length of its travel, and in conjunctionvtherewith have also provided means upon the operating Wheel whichcaribe adjustedjso as to engage with any one of a series-of stops whichare placed at diierent' 'points' around and distinct from the Wheel andwhich correspond tothe different position of the tables Aalong theconveyer;

For the purpose just-mentioned of arrest- I ing the rotation .oftheoperating-Wheel one ,vided with a series" :of radially disposed'standard`m is enlarged and constitutes a dial having a straight slot' a'ra'dial1y;disposed relative y t of the side surfaces of .the latter isprolioles `w while the o the Wheel,

` and circular slots, leading from the .straight slot concentrlcallyVwith such wheel and being of vthe samenumber as the holes I Hw; Theholes fw which may be equal in num-i berto the employedeach have. one

of the circular lslots y op os'ltel thereto and' identified 4with one. othe .tables by a 'number orthe like; butif the tables at one ortedimmediately beneath and longitudlnally of the top portion 'of each ofthe` upon. the1 delivery con-S side of the conveyer are eachdisposedopposite one oi! the tablesat the other side then it'is only necessaryto proi'ide one hol'e Jfor 4 'each pail.- of oppositel)v arrangedtables.

The Aseries of holes are preferably repeated at suitable points uponthe' surface ot' the wheel sothat a Series can be readily broughtopposite to the straightV slot. A distinctive mark upon a stationarypart such as stand 15 adjacent to the conveyer designates the point atwhich to -place each of the trays upon the latter'soth'at the'travel ofthe trays will be the same in each case and the extent of veach circularslot g/ corresponds to the distn'ce of its respective table away fromsuch startingpointof the trays. f

When the operating wheel is about 'to be rotated to' convey a tray tothedining room' one of the series of .hole's w is brought oppof` site thestraight'slot and a' removable plug 50 is inserted into that holewhichis identi-d iedl-With the table the tray isintended for; The plugextends throu h the slot A:t -and .When the wheel is rotat'e such plugtravels Withinv thatl circular slot which is opposite to the holecontaining l.the plug andengages with. the end of the slot thus".preventing lfurther. movement ofthe' Wheel .and-indi! cating that thetrayis opposite-the desired table. .To Warn the operator that the ltrayis approaching its destinationI have located circular slots near theendthereof and have electrically connected such contacts, as at 4; withbells or lamps 5 so that. whenfthe* plu`g5 which may be of metahpassesbetween the contacts the electrical circuit is closed andthe operatorwarned in time-to prevent the t t' I .rotation of'the wheelI beingstopped'suddenly and in a-jlrring manner.- Whe'n the tray arrivesopposite to the desired table -a pair of spring contacts LinA each oftlie Y' the plug 50 is removed to Apermit Aoi? the operation-of theconveyer or'th'e disposal of other trays that havebeen placed 'upontheconveyer, it being' preferred to employ a separate plug for each trayand inse'rt'su'ch plug When the tray is .placed upon theV con- Vey r e.,A Each ofthe tables is provided with m'eans `for removing a4 tray' fromthe convey'er t o the table andbackagainfsuchmeans prefer.

ably consisting of a catch 6 Whicht'ravels in n slot 6- formed in thetable vand feriti-:nd ing outwardly being supported withinl alongitudinally grooved 'rail 7 supported by brackets-8 .a suitabledistance beneaththe slot and ex- The catch' is moved to andfrom theconveyer'by means o -f Wires 'or the like, a vvire 9 from the conveyer,the catch tending to a'pointadjacent to the conveyer,

being attached to one 'side of the catch nea-r.`

' the bottom thereof-and extended 'a'way vfrom theconveyer,passingover'pu'lleys l0 to`the kitchen, while a' second Wire to theopposite-side'of the catch and exf 11 is attached tends toward theconveyer and thence to the kitchen over pulleys 12.

The trays I prefer to employ each have a downturned edge 1+, which, asthe tray is placed upon the conveyer, is disposed to that side of' thelatter at which the desired table -is situated. The normal position. ofthe catch (5 is at a oint adjacent to the cenveyer as shown in'fu l lineFig. 7 and in this position the edges 1d of the trayspass over the topsof the catches which 'latter are preferably formed with crosspieces; 5,Vhen the tray is stopped oppositeia table, the catch of the hitter' willbe pulled away from the conveyer by the wire if), the catch engagingwith the downturned edge 1,4 and drawing the tray upon the table. Whenit if desired to return the tray to the conveyer dit lutter is stoppedand the tray replaced thereon by pulling the catch toward the conveyerby means of the wire 11. The wires 9 and 11 of each table are passedthrough standsv 15 at each side of the kitchen end of the conveyer andare provided with hand pieces 15, the wires of each table beingdistinguished from those of the other; tables by numbers or the like.

It will be apparent that with a number of trays upon the conveyercertain of the trays is opposite to the termination Vof thefslot4 xidentified with table 2 it will be shown that 'tl'nie space oppositetosuch table 2 is occu-g -.pied.

In order to have the conveyers and their mechanisms out ofsight I preferto inclose the dining' room portion of the device within a housing 16provided with openings opposite each table, the .openings being coyeredby door s.17 hinged'as at 17 to swing outwardly and upwardly for thepassage of a tray through the door opening, each of the doors beingautomatically opened and closedV "by means of an angle piece 1S uponthel doi', one arm of which angle piece extends', through an opening 19in the housing Vand has a dependinghook `20 thereon passed 4 through aslotted bracket 20a. The hook Q() lis lsituated in the path of a rigidmember 21 presenting at lopposite ends bottom cam faces 22 and 23,respectively, such member being carried-by a lateral arm 22 upon thecatch 6 and adapted to move with the. latter through'an opening Qi'intlieside of the housing. The'bottom bf the cam member. 21 is on alowerlevel than the end of the,A

hook so that when the catch is moved away from the conveyer the cam face22 will 'engage with the hook and draw the latter down thus opening thedoor,tlie lioolt'p'ass ing along the stra'ig it lower edge ot'themeniber 2l which maintains the doorfin its open position. The lengthof the straight'edge of' the cani membel issuch that wlieirthe tray isupon the table and moving cleiir'ot. the door opening che hook will passfromsuch straight edge and be engaged b vthe other cam face 23 whichllatter will. gradually permit the hook to move upl 'and `the door thetray is ,returned to 4the conveyer means of the wire l1 the door isopened the c'iiniface 23V o themember 21 fand closed by the canif ice22jas above described. ilh 'bracket 20*il pri :vents the depending farmfrom being simpl;i swung out of the way oi the cani meihbei y and itaccoiinnodatesthe slight swing of sich hook caused by the angle piecewhen being moved to open or close the door.

ANhen the tray i: again upon theconveyer the operating whe el is rotatedto carry the trayto the end of, the delivery conveyer where it islowered to the return conveyer by a device which I-wll now describe`with particular referente to Figs. 8 and 9,

As mentioned h zrein the return conveyer extends beyond the ends" of'thefeed conveyer and at each side of the dining room end of to .closemide-fits ou'nfiveighnfwhch l the former there `s a pair of standards 25supporting betwee u them, longitudinally ot' the .conveyers, up per andlower shafts 2G and 27, respectii ely. 'These shafts-each,V

carry sprocket wl eels 28V and 29, connected in vertically dispisedpairsbyjihains '28 c and 29, respectively'. lThe lowerA shaft 2T at eachside of tle conveyer is operatively connected to theieturn conveycnbymeans of a bevel gear El() 'upon4 the shaft of.v the druin aand interimeshing. with a bevel 'gear 31 upon the uppei end ot'v a verticalshaft32 rotatively support 2d in bearings aii'dvhaving a bevelgear 3-1 uponits lower endfwhich internieshes with 1 bevell gear 35' uponsue'li lowershaft 2T. The connection between the .return conveyor andthe shafts 'QTcausesthe chains to mm e synchronously with the conveyers and in aninward'and downward vdirection withtre lation to the sanie. .'llliechainseach carry outwardly projet-ting fingers .3G which are arranged insets,y say the fingers crirriedby a chain side of the conveyer travel inlio one tvfis toA line with fingers :arried by tliefotherchiiiln y andby the chains on the opposite Sid .Off the conveyer. The fin gers 36 arehinged i it 30 to enable them to fold back upon 4tlieyfcghain' when theyencounter an obstruction'` A pair of brackets 36AL extend from Yeatihsideof thelions'iiig 16, over .the shaft 26, to.

ajpoint. on the irner side oftheV 1atter.,the

vinner ends of each of the brackets having a narro strip .3T hingedthereto-and yieldinglyV held in horizontal position level with the topof the feed. conveyer by'springs 38.

The strips 37 forni a continuation of tlie del livery con'veyersubstantially the .Same length as a tray and are adapted'to receive thelatter as it passes from theconveyei', the weight ofthe tray beingsustained by spring controlled trip hooks 39 supported by bracketsv Thehooks are- -slight y inclined and/.extend beneath the uponthe standardsstrips 3 and are adapted to be engaged by lthe forward' end of the'traywhich displaces the hooks and permits .the strips to drop andv releasethe tray'as Semin-dotted lines Fig.

9.. As the tray passes 'from the strips it i's received byvone of thesets4 of fingers 36,

which latter lowerit to the return conveyer. The springs controlling thestrips 37 and hooks 39 return these members to their former positionvreadyv to receive the next tray, lthe springs 38 being at a--grea'tertension .than those controlling the hooks'39 so that the strips 37 arereturned to their normal position. in advance of lthe-hooks and in l,realdiness to have the latter engage beneath 1. A mechanical restaurantseriucfe l riedtray. @55s The return conveyer t carries thetray to the`kitchen where'it is removed froln the conveyer, the continuation of thereturn conveyerbeyondzhe delivery co'nveyer facili- -ta'ting the removalof the tray from the" formen What I claim is as follows:

4 rincluding a device having tray supporting mechamsm moving in onedirection in one plane to deliver the tray, such mechanism extendingandmoving the tray to adifere-nt plane and moving, in another directionto return the tray, a Atable at th side offthe mechanism and means `fol;mechanically removing the trayufroin the cfmveyer to the table andmechanically returning such trayto the conveying mechanism.

' 2. A mechanical restaurant service including aconveyer adaptedtocarryl-'a tray and` .means for operating '.tle -conveyer including arotatable member, ajstandard adjacent to the rotatable member andco-acting Vdevices extending between said member and standard;.forindicating" theposition of the car- 3. A mechanical restaurant serviceincluding a conveyer adapted to-icarry' a tray and means for operatingthe conveyerincluding arotatable member, ai stationary member adjacentto the rotatable member, van indicating device upon one of-said membersand a projection upon the other `ofsaid members and-'adapted to engagewith ,the indicating device to indicate'theposition of the carried tray.

4. jA mechanical restaurant service includ- ;A circular slots'.

ing a conveyer adapted to carry a tray,'-a rotatable member for movingthe conv'eyer and means for indicating the position of the trayincluding a vstationary member adj aoent to the rotatable member and anelectrical conductor upon each of the members, and adapted Vto'engage toclose an elfectrical'circuit.

A mechanical restaurant sei'vi'ceincluding a conveyer, an operatingwheel'fsup- 75 ported ,adjacent to and operatively con-' nected to oneend of the' conve'yer, such operating wheel being of a size to move-theconveyer the full length of its travel' in one' revolution and havinga'ralially. disposed 80 series of holes therein, a standard havingaAvseries of circular slots therein, concentric` with the 'operating wheeland .each disposedY opposite to vone of the holes-inthe latter, theslots being of varying length-to correspond r to different points in thetravel of the conveyer, electrical contacts in each ofsaid slots andincludedin an open electrical circuit and a removable plug adapted to beinserted in one of said holes in the operating 'wheeh travelin (me ofthe said slots and engage With the electrical contacts therein to f.close the circuit. 1

6.l A mechanical restaurant service including a'conveyer adapted tocarry -a tray, an 95 operating wheel for the conveyer, a series of Stopsadjacent to the Wheel and at Varying points in its rotation'and whichcorrespondto varying points in the travel of the conveyer, and aprojection carried by the opl erating Wheel and adapted to be 'adjustedto engage with either of the said stops.

7. A mechanical restaurant service, including 'a conveyer adapted tocarrya tray, an

operating Wheel for the conveyer, a seriesof 10'5 stops adjacent to theWheel, and at varyingpoints in itsrotation and Which correspond tovarying points in the travel of the conveyer, a projectioncarried by theoperating wheel' and adapted to be adjusted to engage 110 with either ofthe said stops, and meansffor indicating the `near approach of saidprojection to the stop to bengaged With. n

'8. A' mechanical restaurant service including a conveyer7 an voperatingwheel sup- 115 ported adjacent to and operatively connected to one endof the conveyer, such operating Wheel v'being of a size to move'theconveyer the full length of its travel in one revolution ,z

andhaving a radially disposed series 015,12*() holes therein, a standardhaving a series of, circular slotstherein, concentric with the'opserating Wheel and each disposed oppositeto.'

one of the holes in the latter, the* circularslots being of varyinglength to correspond to different points in thectraveloftheicon-j veyer,and a removable plugadapt'ed tofbe-vv insertedin one 'of the said holesin the op-H4 erating vvheelA and travelin one of the 'said- 9. Amechanical restaurant service for conveying a tray from an ante-room toa dining rooni and including a series of tables in the dining room, aconveyer adjacent to and on a level with the table, operating means inthe ante-room for moving the conveyer to carry a tray opposite to eitherof the tables, and mechanism for-moving tlie tray between the conveyerand the tables in cluding catches adjacent to each of said tables andadapted to res :iectively engage with the tray and means ici''reciprocating the catchestransversely of the conveyer, including alength permanently connected to each of lsaid catc ies independently ofthe others and extending to the ante-room.

10.- A mechanical restaurant sei-vige including a table, a conveyeradjacent tti and on a level with the table, operating means for movingthe-conveyer to carry a tray opposite to a table and mechanism formoving the tray between the conveyer and the table including a supportextending from beneath the table toward the conveyer, guides spacedlongitudinally of the support, a catch niovablyr mounted .alpen saidsupport and -located between the'guides and flexible lengths attached tothe catch and extending in opposite directions therefrom. each lengthpassing around one of said guides to a point spaced from the table.

11A mechanical-restaurant service including a table, a conveyertraveling adjaycent to and on a level with the table, a housing for.tlieconveyer and having an open ing opposit'gto the table, a door normallyclosing such ropening, operating means for the oonveyer to carry a trayoppothrougli said opening and automatically opening and closing saiddoor during-the movement of tlie tray.

12. A mechanical restaurant service including a table, a iconveyerladjacent-toand' on a level with the table, a housing forthe conveyer andhaving an o ening opposite to the table, a door norma 1v closing suchopening, an arm. upon the oor, a hooked member depending fromthe arm, a.double ca'if, 1member adapted to reciprocate transvers' to the conveyerand engage with the hook'ed member and means for moving such vdouble cammember. l

13. mechanical restaurant service iiicluding a table, a conveyertraveling adja-y cent lto and on a level with the table, a housing forthe conveyer and having an opening opposite to closing such opening', ahooked member de pending from the door, operating means for moving theconveyer tocarry a tray opposite to the table, and mechanism for'movmgthe trav between 'the conveyer and the table through Vsaid' opening andlautomatically the table, a door normally reciprocating transversely ofthe conveyor,4

adapted to engage with the tray and operated at a point at a dis :alicefrom the table, and a double cani member carried by the catch andadapted to engage with the hooked member carried by' the floor.

14. A mechanical restaurant service including a delivery convoycradapted to carry a tray in one direction, a return conveyer on adifferent level to tl'e delivery conveyer and adapted to carry the trayin anther direction, a conveyer alapted to receive the tray directlyfrom the elivery convcyer and Carry such tray to the return conveyer'and operating meansfor the conveyers.

15. A mechanical rsstaurant service including a delivery conv eyeradapted to carry a tray in one directio i, a return conveyer on adifferent level to Ilie delivery conveyer and adapted to carry the trayin another direction, a conveyer adapted to receive the tray directlyfrom tl e delivery conveyer and carry such tray to the return conveyerand means for synchronously operating the conveyers.

16. A mechanical 'restaurant service including a delivery conv eyeradapted to carry a tray in one directio i, a return conveyer beneath thedelivery conveyer and adapted' to carry the tray in another direction, aconveyer adapted 11o-receive the tray directly from the deliveryconfeyer and lower such tray to the return co1 rveyer and operatingmeans for the conveyei s.

17. A mechanical. r estaurant service inconi eyer` adapted to carry'cluding a delivery l a tray'in one 'directie n, a return conveyorbeneath the feed coni eyer and adapted to carry the tray in an oppositedirection, mechanism for loweri ig the-tray from the feed conveyer tothe return conveyer inoludin a pair of spring controlled stripsextending from the 1nd of the feed conveyer, spring tri hooks supportingthe strips, a palr'ofc airs at each siderof the4 strips, -`such chainsmoving downwardly from he delivery coziveyerto the return conveyer,'outwardly extending 'fingers carried by the chains, and means foroperating the conveyers and the said chains.` L

18. The combinatioiL with a series-oftables, of a delivery conveyertravelin adjacent to and on a level with the tab es` and adapted tocarry a tr 1y in one direction, a return conveyer bene ith the delivery`conveyer and adapted to convey the tray in an opposite direction, a device for lowering the tray from the delivery conve'yr to the returnconveyer, a housing for the conveyers and lowering device, such housinghaving openings inthe sides thereof 'and opposite tothe tables, doorsfoiI such openings, means for synchronously op erating theV conveyersiio and the -loweiing device, and a mechanism naine tothisspecification, in the pnesene of ut'enr-l1`tnbhy for niovlng Je tmysbetween two sulsclfllnng witnesses. the delivery convey-'ei' und thetables through 1 7 V the Suid openings und for opening und clos- JobhflH HUIQHINSON' 5 ing the doors, such mechanisms being oper- W tnesses:

ated from n point distant from the tables. STANLEY C. KING.,I Intestimony whereof, I have signed my HAROLD J. INNS.

